Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-12-24
The TAILOR Invests In Buttons,
A Story of Andersonvllle.


cessionist and firm believer in the
justice OF their cause, he lelt that he
had done his duty, and II the confed.
eracy should fail il would be thought
no fault OF his. Neither was his troub.
lie oeeasioned by the fact that he had
been taken from the front and placed
ON guard duty at Andersonvile. In
the early stages OF the war this duty
would have been distasteful to him.
and he would have chaied at all re-
straints that kept him from active SER
vice; but the major had been at
the front for three years, had
taken part in numerous cam.
paigns and dozen battles, had been
coniplimented for gallantry in ''gener.
al orders. had ielt the sting of Yam.
kee bullets and the sharp pain caused
by the surgeons probe; and no one
who knew him, whether friend or foe.
could doubt the majors courage. He
ielt that he was entitled to rest, and
was making the most OF his oppor-
tunities, The major was a tender.
hearted man, and the sight Of the
suiferings Of the Union prisoners was
not pleasant to him; but AS he was
not responsible for the shortcomings
oil the commissary department and
was simply Obeylng orders in all he
did, ike a sensible man he did not
make himself miserable on account OF
suiletings he was powefless TO relieve.
The cause OF the majors sorrow was
purely personal. but affected only his
social and military standing. Only
one short week before he had received
from Savannah q brand.new conled-
crate nnltorm-no common affair
the major was Iastidious about his
dress and always had his clothes
made 10 order, and OF the very finest
material. The dress coat, in particu.
lar, was marvel of elegance sott,
gray cloth and velvet epaulets. with a
row OF bright, shiny, go.d.washed but.
tons ornAmenting the front. II the
major felt a tritle proud when he don.
ned this new suit no one ought to
blame him; for with this beautiful
coat buttoned mp 10 the chin and his
sword trailing BY his side. the major
Was truly an imposing figure.
But at the time oi which ] write,
be was not proud OF his appearance.
HIS coat stu shiny and uew-what
there WAS lett Of II, bu; that portion
Of its glory represented by two Of the
buttons on the breast had departed.
/ Hos he had lost those buttons was a
I mystery TO him, but gone they were,
and he knew oi 80 place nearer than
! Savannah. where others al the same
pattern could be obtained. TO add
90 his perplexi,y. le had just accept,
Z rd an invitation 10 a party--a grand
ailaiF where all the beauty and chiv.
/ airy al Sumter county we're expected
4 To be Ia attendance. And this was
mhat troubled the major. But this
/ doughty officer was not the mar
TO slt down supinely under
! difficulties; he believed III
putting his best foot forward, and IL
I making the most 0i his resources; and
in this emergency, hr took into hil
confidence his three most intimat'
friends. Capt. B., Lieut.. c., atlt
hts mirror. Now, that two OF thu
! buttons were gone, Il occurred to th'
/ major that hc might look better witt
the coat lnhuttones. 30 he tried IT,
standing 10 front oi the glass, but 4
dared open aud gave him fly away
appearance entirely unbeconline u
the hero oi dozen battles. Then h.
commenced nj the top and ct TIT
bottom and butte ned it as far as tin
buttons went, but 4 bulget oit OF
the breast and made HIM look like
hali inflated balloon. or so, at least
his friend Capt. --- kindly iniormc,
HIM. Then be pinned Il togethe
where the buttons we're missing, and
! after contemplating himself in tn
slnas turned TO his friends with tn
inquiry
How does IL look now?"
"Well said the lieutenant, after
critical survey, cit looks like tn
desert al sehagn with the Gases alto
ye,her too far apart in the middle"
/ "Whsn you 60 to the party" sup
spsted the captain" you wear bou
austs where the buttons are MISSING.
HIN. ! might GIL one OF IN
spaces in that way, " said the major
ionhtiully. but who ever heard o.
man wearing double.barelled boz
There was a moments silence, the
the captain remarked in o musln
tone
"t,'s barely possible some OF thos
Yankee prisoners havegot couieaerat
buttons
why Of course they have" erie
thu major, 1oy.tly
ats strange | hadn't thought oil
bc;crcl Cap you're trump tot nv
costing III Those Nanks VIII se'i 9
trade anything tbey.v got ana
there's anything they haven got y
something they couldn't steal or ma
AFTER Il was stolen It's perieetf
wonderful the variety OF truck the
have TO bartrr Rings, knives poke
iukstands, lockets, watches, spoon.
Earrings. Photograph albums. and oni
Yesterday one OF them offered to trad
inc. niplit.cap for plug oil tobacco
I'M beU the cigars they've got Jus
what | want, and to.morro
mornine III 70 inside and see!
All Won trade with those Yanks,
warned the lieutenant, you want
watch out or they'll beatyou. They
a sharp lot" .,.,,,.,
the major, stitily, II cut my eye tee &c,
acme time ago and when need y
advice OF friend about makinga U"
pnin. III ask for it. /" :.
"Well.r laughed the lieutenan
Ddon't get huffy about y and call =, =
out, for Il you do shan't GOMEZ ~
Yanks can furnish bullets enough !
me 10 face just at present, without ~
setting myself up as target ior
dead shot like you, .h
This tribute to his marksmansn